The VS Audio Platinum Preamp is a two-channel preamp and overdrive pedal from VS Audio, reported as shipping as of October 20231. The Channel footswitch gives players the choice between a rhythm channel delivering wide, clean tones and a lead channel offering a thicker and richer sound1. It belongs to the wider family of preamp pedals and overdrive pedals.
The controls
Delicious Audio lists the controls as Input Gain, Output Master, and a three-band EQ with Bass, Mid and Treble1. Guitar Pedal X's fuller rundown adds a Presence switch, a Bypass control and the Lead footswitch to that set2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Input Gain | Sets the amount of drive into the preamp1 |
| Presence switch | Offers the option to either attenuate negative feedback or boost high-end frequencies1 |
| Output Master | Sets the pedal's overall output level1 |
| Bass, Mid, Treble | Three-band EQ for shaping the tone1 |
| Bypass | Turns the effect off2 |
| Lead | Engages the lead channel2 |
The Presence switch is the control most likely to raise questions, because it does two different jobs depending on the setting. Delicious Audio describes it as offering the option to either attenuate negative feedback or boost high-end frequencies1, which mirrors the way presence works on the Silver Jubilee amp itself: one position tightens the circuit by cutting negative feedback, the other opens up the top end.
Rhythm and lead channels
The Channel footswitch gives players the choice between a rhythm channel delivering wide, clean tones and a lead channel offering a thicker and richer sound1. Delicious Audio describes the lead side of the circuit as providing a similar high gain, dark, and smooth output1.
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson, who installed the Platinum Preamp in his pedal chain in July 2024 as part of a matched Vox/Marshall pairing with the Jangle Master, had this to say about the two channels2:
"Both Rhythm and Lead outputs sound amazing!"
Stefan Karlsson, Guitar Pedal X2
He also found that the Platinum has substantially more output power and maximum gain than its newer sibling the Jangle Master, both in terms of output and maximum gain2. For a player comparing the two, that makes the Platinum the higher-headroom, higher-gain of VS Audio's British-style preamp pair, while the Jangle Master covers the AC30 top-boost side.
Availability and price
The pedal was presented at the NAMM 2023 show and was reported as now shipping by Delicious Audio in October 20231. As of July 2024, Guitar Pedal X reported that both the Jangle Master and the Platinum Preamp were available for order on the VS Audio webstore and at several international dealers, with the Platinum Preamp priced at €229 / $2292.
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Questions
What amp is the VS Audio Platinum Preamp based on?
The Platinum Preamp and Overdrive is based on the Marshall 1987 Silver Jubilee amp. Delicious Audio describes it as using hand-selected discrete JFETs to create a blend of Plexi and Marshall-style tones drawn from that circuit, and Guitar Pedal X lists it in its pedal chain as the Marshall Silver Jubilee style preamp alongside VS Audio's Vox AC30-style Jangle Master.
What does the Presence switch do on the Platinum Preamp?
According to Delicious Audio, the Presence switch offers the option to either attenuate negative feedback or boost high-end frequencies. In practice that lets a player choose between a tighter, more compressed feel and a brighter, more open top end, in the same way the presence control works on the Silver Jubilee amp the pedal is modeled on.
Does the VS Audio Platinum have two channels?
Yes. The Channel footswitch gives players a choice between a rhythm channel delivering wide, clean tones and a lead channel offering a thicker and richer sound. Guitar Pedal X's reviewer reported that both the Rhythm and Lead outputs sound amazing, and noted the pedal has substantially more output power and maximum gain than the Jangle Master.
Does the Platinum Preamp use JFETs or op-amps?
The Platinum Preamp and Overdrive uses hand-selected discrete JFETs rather than op-amps. Delicious Audio's product page and its buying guide both describe the circuit as built around hand-selected discrete JFETs to create a blend of Plexi and Marshall-style tones based on the Marshall 1987 Silver Jubilee amp.
Is the VS Audio Platinum Preamp and Overdrive still available?
As of July 2024, Guitar Pedal X reported that both the Jangle Master and the Platinum Preamp were available for order on the VS Audio webstore and at several international dealers, with the Platinum Preamp listed at €229 / $229. The pedal was presented at NAMM 2023 and reported as shipping by October 2023.
Sources (2)
- VS Audio Platinum Plexi Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2023-10-23
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-07-12
